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Despite heavy industrial innovation during the Victorian era, much of the interior design principles were dictated from the past. Trademarks during this era, which was named for Queen Victoria, who reigned for 20 years, from 1837 to 1901, included opulent furnishings, rich colors and floral patterns. For the first time in history, rugs during the early Victorian era were used for both functional and decorative purposes. Architects during the time often layered rugs on top of carpeting.

Historical Perspective

In Europe, rugs came into popularity after recurrences of Black Death were contributed to harmful debris. Colonists carried this trend to America, due to fears that the plague would tear through the new world. Prior to the Victorian era, Thomas Whitty started using his weaving talent to create rugs that were reminiscent of the tufted carpeting he saw on the Turkish market, but a fire in 1828 destroyed many of his looms, leaving his family bankrupt. At the beginning of the Victorian era, Wilton of Salisbury bought the company’s remaining looms and produced hand-knotted carpets called Axminsters, which became the prominent brand for prosperous Victorian homes.

From Cheap to Chic

Cost greatly dictated interior design in the Colonies. Typically, people with little income would paint their unvarnished floors since it was the cheapest form of decor. Those with a bit more money purchased or made painted floor cloths for their hallways and parlors. Wealthy colonists used a floor covering called matting. Inexpensive matting was made of coconut fiber, straw and corn husks, and more expensive matting was constructed of sheepskin or wool. More costly rugs during the time were covered with a protective fabric called a drugget, which was constructed from wool or cotton. Later in the Victorian era, companies started producing patterned druggets that were used as runners.

Patterns and Colors

Victorian interior design dictates that you should liberally use both color and pattern, which is certainly true of early Victorian rugs. Depending on the room, Victorian-era homeowners would generally combine shades of gold, teal, plum, rose and lavender, with bolder colored rugs in the parlor and more subdued varieties in dining rooms and libraries. Patterns were also used in excess. Victorians were fond of floral elements in their rugs, but they also liked bold damasks and geometric patterns.

Architecturally Designed

Three architects greatly influenced textile design and rugs during the early Victorian era, including A.W.N. Pugin, Owen Jones and William Morris. All three contributed to the patterns used, and they elevated the techniques used to construct Victorian rugs. Pugin transformed floral patterns by using a geometric interpretation of grouped flowers to fill the space rather than the sporadic spacing of flora on carpets. Jones, who was fascinated with Eastern culture, used its influence to create rugs that incorporated geometric ornamentation. Morris didn't approve of chemical dyes and commercial rug production; therefore, he encouraged textile designers to return to hand-loom Jacquard weaving and vegetable dying. Morris is also credited with creating the trellis design, a design still seen today.

About the Author

Cathryn Sherman began her writing career in 2007. She was the editor of "Chicago Scene" magazine, where she focused on restaurant reviews. In 2010, she took a writing position with Talcott Publishing, a trade magazine that focused on interior design.